Thunderbirds and thunderstorms: Keep your eye on the sky this weekend

Organizers of Fort Lauderdale's newly resurrected air show will have their eyes on the sky this weekend, but not just searching for stunt planes or military flyovers.

Storms may be on the horizon, putting a damper on performers' flight patterns or partying spectators on the beach.

"Rain could definitely be a factor," said Robert Molleda, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Miami-Dade County. "There will be some showers around and there will also be a chance of thunderstorms."

Odds of rain: 50 percent, he said.

Kevin Sullivan, the West Palm Beach-based air boss, said the show could be halted if the cloud cover becomes too low or visibility too poor. "If there is rain of a significant nature, we will delay the show until it's clear," he said. "To keep within our time frame, we will trim acts to keep the Thunderbirds.

"But hopefully it won't rain."

The Lauderdale Air Show, from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, is the first time high-tech military aircraft and high-octane civilian stunt planes have performed over the beach since 2007, when the old Air & Sea Show last hit the sky. Some 15 performers will show off precision maneuvers and high-speed passes, with theU.S. Air ForceThunderbirds — a team of six F-16 fighter jets — as the headline act.

Other military hotshots will be the U.S. NavySeals Leap Frogs parachute team, an Air Force B-1 bomber and a demonstration by a U.S. Navy F-18 Hornet. There will also be demonstrations by an Air Force F-15 formation flight and a Navy Reserve F-5 formation, as well as the 101st Airborne Screaming Eagles, another parachute team. The Coast Guard will mount a mock search-and-rescue operation.

Civilian performers include 2011 world aerobatic champion Rob Holland, the seven-aircraft Black Diamond Jet Team, the Red Bull Air Force skydiving team, and the Geico Skytypers, a squadron of six World War II era Navy skywriting planes.

The free show will be staged along the beach from Oakland Park Boulevard to the Southeast 17th Street Causeway. A1A will be closed from Vista Mar north to Northeast 14th Street. A premium viewing area will be near the center of the show, just north of the intersection of Sunrise Boulevard and A1A to Northeast 14th Court. Tickets for the exclusive area start at $29, which includes food and beverages.

The best approaches to the beach are Oakland Park Boulevard, Las Olas Boulevard and the Southeast 17th Street Causeway. Parking is available — 10,000 spaces strong — at two municipal lots off Las Olas Boulevard, a municipal lot at South Beach Park, and the city lot on Oakland Park Boulevard. Flat rate is $20. Private lots also will offer parking.

Boaters will be restricted to a safety zone that extends to 4,000 feet offshore. The zone will be marked with buoys, and Coast Guard and other maritime law enforcement units will regulate boat traffic. Boaters may not lash more than five vessels together and must take care not to anchor on coral.

Fort Lauderdale police will issue wristbands for children under 12 to assist in finding lost kids.

Not allowed: alcohol in the show center area of Sunrise Boulevard and A1A; large canopies; bicycles, skateboards or roller blades; grills; and kites.